Arch-plate for steam-boiler furnaces.



No. 659,549. Patented Oct. 9, I900. n. u. BIGHARDS.

ARCH PLATE FOR STEAM BOILER FURNACES.

(Application filed Kay 14, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNITE STATES "ATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL U. RICHARDS, OF DANVERS, MINNESOTA.

ARCH=PLATE FOR STEAM-BOlLER FURNAC ES,

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 659,549, dated October9, 1900.

Application filed. May 14., 1900. Serial No. 16,674.. (No model.)

To all whom, it WLCI/Z/ concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL U. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Danvers, in the county of Swift and State of Minnesota, haveinvented a new and useful Arch- Plate for Steam-Boiler Furnaces, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steam-boiler furnaces; and it has for oneobject to provide an improved arch-plate for supporting the front end ofthe boiler and for closing the space above the fire-box and between thefront of the boiler and the front of the furnace. It is also designed todispense with the usual brick arch, although the latter may be employedwithout affecting the present device, and to close the space between theupper side of the present arch and the front end of the boiler and therespective side walls of the f urnace; and, finally, the most importantobject is to provide an improved hollow arch having means forcirculating cold air therethrough, so as to prevent the latter frombecoming burned out or cracked by the intense heat to which such archesare exposed.

With these and other objects in View the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawings,and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes inthe form, proportion,

size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claimswithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a steam-boilerfurnace, parts being broken away to expose one end of the improved arch.Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal.

sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of thepresent arch. Fig. at is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings aredesignated by like characters of reference.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 and 2 designate the respectiveside and rear end walls, and 3 the front, of a furnace, which is alsoprovided with the usual steam-boiler 4, terminating short of the frontof the furnace. In the front plate 3 there are provided the upper doors5, for access to the flues of the boiler, and the lower sets of doors 6and 7, for access to the fire-box 8 and the ash-pit 9, respectively.These parts are common and well known and may have any preferred form,the same being shown in the drawings to more adequately illustrate theapplication and arrangement of the present improvements.

In carrying out the present invention there is provided asubstantially-rectangular hollow box-like arch-plate 10, which is formedof cast metal and is best shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. Thelower open side of this box is normally closed by means of a removablebottom plate 11, which is held in place by means of suitable fastenings,such as bolts 12, which are preferably arranged at the corners of thedevice. At the rear longitudinal edge of the box there is provided anupstanding longitudinal flange 13, which is provided centrally with aconcaved recess or seat 14 for the reception of the boiler, as will behereinafter explained. This flange may be cast integrally with the boxor secured thereto in any manner, as may be preferred. In the oppositeends of the box there are fitted the respective pipe-sections or tubes15, which have their inner ends screw-thread ed, so as to be removablyfitted within corresponding screw-threaded openings 16, formed in theends of the box and communicating with the interior thereof to conductcold air thereto and to provide for the escape of the heated air.

By reference to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that the box or arch islocated above the firebox of the furnace and is secured to the front 3by means of bolts or other suitable fastenings 17, that pass through thefront and are received through the respective openings 18 in the frontedge of the box, the bottom plate 11 being removable to facilitate thesecuring of the box to the front-of the furnace. The arch-box is locatedimmediately above the fire-box doors, and the convexed seat 14 intheupstanding flange 13 is designed to receive the front end of the boiler,so as to form a support therefor and also to close the space between theupper face of the box and the outer sides of the boiler. The oppositeends of the box are received within recesses or supported upon suitableshoulders 19, formed .air.

upon the inner sides of the opposite side walls of the furnace, as shownin Fig. 1, and the opposite pipes or tubes pass through the walls andcommunicate with the external It will now be apparent that as the airwithin the box-like arch-plate becomes heated it will begin to circulateand pass out through some of the pipes or tubes and the cold exteriorair will rush in through some of the other pipes to take the place ofthe escaped air, thereby maintaining a continuous circulation ofcomparatively cool air through the arch-plate to protect and preservethe latter against the excessive heat of the fire, which is directlybeneath the arch. It may be found convenient to provide some of thepipes or tubes with upwardlydirected branches or elbows to increase theoutward draft for the escape of the heated air, and some of the otherpipes may have downwardly-directed branches, as may be desired.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the presentinvention provides an improved arch-plate which is effectually protectedagainstcracking and being burned out and also dispenses with the usualbrick arch, although the latter may be constructed over the top of thebox, and in the latter event there is no liability of the brick archsagging, as the box is efiectually protected against being warped by theaction of the fire. It will of course be understood that the box may berounded or arched instead of flat, as herein illustrated, and the bottommay be made integral therewith, as may be desired or found convenient.

What is claimed is 1. An arch-plate for steamboiler furnaces, comprisinga shallow hollow box, having means for connecting its front edge to thefront of a furnace, a longitudinal upstanding flange at the rear edge ofthe box, said flange having an intermediate concaved recess forming aseat for the front end of a boiler, and its opposite end portionsforming closures for the space between the boiler and the respectiveside walls of the furnace, and the opposite ends of the box havingopenings for the circulation of air through the box.

- 2. An arch-plate for steam-boiler furnaces, comprising a hollow box,having an open bottom, openings in its opposite ends, and boltopeningsin its front side or edge, pipes fitted to the respective end openingsand extending outwardly therefrom, fastenings projecting outwardlythrough the bolt-openings, a removable bottom plate normally closing theopen bottom of the box, and fastenings securing the bottom plate to thelower edges of the box.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL U. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

ANDREW WILSON, ERNEST R. ALDRICH.

